- What should you look for in email marketing software?
- Email marketing tools compared
- The best email marketing software for small business
- 1. Mailchimp
- 2. Kit (formerly ConvertKit)
- 3. MailerLite
- 4. Brevo
- 5. ActiveCampaign
- 6. Klaviyo
- 7. AWeber
- 8. Constant Contact
- How to choose the right email marketing software
- Frequently asked questions
The best email marketing software depends on your business. Mailchimp suits small businesses that want an all-rounder, Kit suits creators and newsletter writers, MailerLite suits businesses that want simple and clean, Brevo suits email plus SMS and transactional email, ActiveCampaign suits advanced automation, Klaviyo suits online shops, and AWeber and Constant Contact suit small businesses that want easy tools with good support.
Email is still the marketing channel you own. Social platforms change their rules overnight, but your list is yours, and a good newsletter keeps you in front of people until they're ready to buy. The right software makes writing, sending and automating those emails easy.
The tools below are well known and widely used by small businesses. They all send newsletters and automated emails, so the differences are in focus and feel. I've focused on what each one is known for, so shortlist two and build the same welcome email in both.
What should you look for in email marketing software?
- Ease of use. A drag-and-drop editor and clear templates save hours each week.
- Automation. Welcome sequences, abandoned cart emails and tagging do work while you sleep.
- Deliverability. Your emails need to reach the inbox, so look for domain authentication and list hygiene tools.
- Forms and landing pages. Built-in sign-up forms help you grow your list.
- Segmentation. Sending the right email to the right people keeps engagement up.
- Integrations. Check it connects to your website, shop and CRM.
Email marketing tools compared
| Tool | Best for | Stand-out feature |
|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp | All-round small business email | Templates, automation and audience tools |
| Kit | Creators and newsletter writers | Tagging and creator-focused features |
| MailerLite | Simple, clean email marketing | Easy editor and landing pages |
| Brevo | Email, SMS and transactional email | Multichannel messaging |
| ActiveCampaign | Advanced automation | Visual automation builder |
| Klaviyo | Online shops | Ecommerce data and segmentation |
| AWeber | Small businesses that want support | Easy setup and templates |
| Constant Contact | Local and event-based businesses | Email plus event tools |
Plans and features change often, so check each vendor's current plans before you commit.
The best email marketing software for small business
1. Mailchimp
Mailchimp, owned by Intuit, is one of the best-known email marketing platforms. It covers newsletters, automations, landing pages, sign-up forms and audience segmentation.
Who it suits: small businesses that want a familiar all-round tool.
What stands out: templates and how easy it is to get started.
Watch out for: as your list grows, compare plans carefully, as other tools may suit a bigger list better.
2. Kit (formerly ConvertKit)
Kit, formerly ConvertKit, is email marketing built for creators. It's known for subscriber tagging, visual automations, landing pages and features for selling digital products and newsletters.
Who it suits: coaches, authors, podcasters and newsletter writers.
What stands out: creator focus, with tools for growing a newsletter and earning from it.
Watch out for: its templates are deliberately simple, so it's less suited to heavily designed emails.
3. MailerLite
MailerLite is known for a clean, easy editor, plus automations, landing pages, sign-up forms and a simple website builder.
Who it suits: small businesses that want a straightforward tool that looks good.
What stands out: simplicity. It's easy to learn and pleasant to use.
Watch out for: new accounts go through an approval process, so set up your account and sending domain early.
4. Brevo
Brevo, formerly Sendinblue, covers email marketing, SMS, WhatsApp campaigns, transactional email and a simple CRM.
Who it suits: businesses that want email and text messages in one platform.
What stands out: multichannel messaging, plus transactional email for order confirmations and receipts.
Watch out for: with so many channels, start with email and add others as you need them.
5. ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign is known for powerful marketing automation, with a visual builder for complex customer journeys and a built-in CRM for sales.
Who it suits: businesses that want detailed automation based on behaviour.
What stands out: automation. You can build journeys that react to what each contact does.
Watch out for: it takes time to learn, so it's more than you need if you only send a monthly newsletter.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
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6. Klaviyo
Klaviyo is email and SMS marketing built for online shops. It connects closely with ecommerce platforms such as Shopify, using purchase and browsing data for segmentation and automation.
Who it suits: ecommerce businesses selling products online.
What stands out: ecommerce data, which powers abandoned cart, browse and win-back emails.
Watch out for: it's built for online stores, so service businesses may find it doesn't fit.
7. AWeber
AWeber is one of the longest-running email marketing tools. It covers newsletters, automations, landing pages and templates, and it's known for its customer support.
Who it suits: small businesses that want an easy start and help when they need it.
What stands out: support and simplicity.
Watch out for: its automation is less advanced than ActiveCampaign or Klaviyo.
8. Constant Contact
Constant Contact is email marketing for small businesses, with templates, automations, social posting and event management tools.
Who it suits: local businesses, charities and organisations that run events.
What stands out: event tools alongside email.
Watch out for: compare its automation with other tools if you plan detailed sequences.
How to choose the right email marketing software
Start with your business model. If you sell products online, Klaviyo is built for it. If you're a creator, coach or newsletter writer, Kit and MailerLite are strong. If you want detailed automation, look at ActiveCampaign, and if you want email and text messages together, Brevo. Mailchimp, AWeber and Constant Contact suit small businesses that want an easy all-rounder.
Then think about where you'll be in two years. Moving a list between tools is possible but fiddly, so choose one you can grow into. Whatever you pick, set up authentication for your sending domain, start with a welcome email and send consistently. Your list is worth far more than the tool you send it with.
If you're weighing up options, see my guide to the best Mailchimp alternatives and my Mailchimp vs ConvertKit comparison. Once you've chosen, read how to use email marketing automation to save time.
If you write a newsletter as a creator rather than run a shop or service, my guide to email marketing tools for creators looks at the same choice from that angle.
Building a tool in this space? Here's how tools get considered for my roundups.
This guide is part of my AI for Small Business: 25 Plain-English Guides to Automation, Marketing, Sales and Admin.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best email marketing software for small business?
Mailchimp and MailerLite are strong all-rounders, Kit suits creators, ActiveCampaign suits advanced automation, Klaviyo suits online shops and Brevo suits email plus SMS.
Is Kit the same as ConvertKit?
Yes. ConvertKit rebranded as Kit. It's the same email platform for creators, with the same core features.
What is the easiest email marketing software?
MailerLite, Mailchimp and AWeber are known for being easy to learn, with drag-and-drop editors and ready-made templates.
Is there free email marketing software?
Yes. Several tools, including MailerLite, Kit and Brevo, have a free version with limits on contacts or emails. Check the current limits before you choose.
